Cars get too much space

In the Netherlands, we face an increasing diversity of vehicles on the bike paths, from (e-)cargo bikes, (e-)mopeds to fatbikes. This leads to concerns about crowding and safety. Accidents and conflicts between these different forms of mobility are common. The crux of the problem: cars take up 50% of the urban space in the Netherlands. And that leaves too little space for other vehicles.

To put it in perspective: the automobile has experienced an enormous advance since the first car drove through our country in 1896. By 1950 there were 120,000 cars, and by 1965 that number rose to 1 million. Today, there are more than 9 million cars, together covering more than one hundred billion kilometers annually.

Dutch cities increasingly want to ban cars from parts of the city. Although our four-wheeled vehicles are becoming more sustainable and quieter (14% of the Dutch car fleet is now electric), the intention is for walking, cycling, and public transport to take a leading role.

This would not only be good for the climate and the appearance of the city, but should also free up space for the construction of new housing, for example.

But then space must be made available for that great diversity of vehicles. This is highlighted in recent research published in Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, by Clara Glachant and Frauke Behrendt, experts in smart, active and sustainable micromobility at TU/e.

‘Cars taken entirely for granted’

“In the Netherlands, quite a lot is going well in the field of mobility, including when it comes to bicycle infrastructure. Cyclists are neatly separated from freeways in many places,” Glachant explains. But cars have become so obvious that we don’t even notice it anymore. “That can, and must, change if we are to address the current challenges on bike lanes.”

The study’s findings take on added significance in light of the growing popularity of fatbikes on Dutch bike paths. These special two-wheelers, which sometimes reach speeds of more than 25 km/h, are associated with an alarming increase in accidents involving young users. They are therefore in a negative light.

Such conflicts lead to policy discussions. For example, some policymakers are proposing a minimum age and helmet requirement for fatbikes. Essential, but according to Glachant, more needs to be done. Banning cars completely from cities is not the best choice, she says.

“That evokes too much resistance. In the most central parts of cities and in smaller streets, this is feasible.”

In particular, safer, better designed streets for (e-)mopeds, e-bikes and e-bikes are needed. One way to achieve this is by lowering the speed limit in cities to 30 kilometers per hour. “This measure makes the roads safer for light vehicles and at the same time encourages people more to take the bike.”

“Although it is not the most effective solution everywhere. Sometimes fatbikes and e-bikes go faster than cars, which again creates challenges, for example in Amsterdam.”

Categories for new forms of transportation

There are other ways to create more peace on Dutch bike lanes. “What I have seen in my research is that it can cause a lot of resistance and confusion if you try to fit a new vehicle into existing categories of the mobility system.”

“Policymakers need to work on new frameworks and categories so that they can properly integrate new transportation models into the mobility system.”

The research should not end up on the shelf only to do nothing with it, Glachant believes. She plans to share her results with a wider audience, including politicians, the press and other non-scientific institutions, in the coming months.

“A presentation at the Ministry of Infrastructure is already scheduled soon,” she says.

Regardless, things seem to be slowly moving in the right direction in the Netherlands. Increasingly, the car is getting less space. Urban planning is also having a positive impact more often, says Dena Kasraian, lecturer in urban planning and urban architecture at TU/e.

“At the city level, this means building offices and housing close to train stations to make public transportation more attractive. At district or street level, interventions such as removing parking spaces in central areas can make better use of space and encourage alternative forms of transportation.”

Utrecht is an excellent example of a city that has been deliberately redesigned to encourage cycling, walking, and public transportation, Kasraian knows. “The city has made sweeping changes, such as the rehabilitation of Catharijnesingel—previously used as a 12-lane highway—and the development of the car-free Merwede district.”

In addition, Utrecht is constantly pushing for other improvements, such as the expansion of bicycle infrastructure.

We can also look to neighboring countries. Take Paris, where there has been a redevelopment of the quays along the Seine. These are now car-free zones. Or, a little further from home, “A well-known and much-praised example is Bogotá, Colombia. The city encourages cycling by introducing the “Ciclovía” concept, where roads are car-free on Sundays and holidays.”

It remains to be seen what measures the Netherlands will take in the coming years to further promote cycling and alternative, small forms of transportation.